Images taken from a AB412 helicopter with the second regiment of the Italian Air Force show an area of the coast of the Italian island of Lampedusa on Oct. 9, 2013. / Tullio M. Puglia, Getty Images

by USA TODAY

by USA TODAY

Egypt's state news agency says a boat has capsized off the coast of the city of Alexandria, killing 12 migrants and leaving 116 survivors.

Meanwhile, Italy's coast guard says many of the 200 migrants aboard a boat that capsized off Lampedusa have survived and helicopters are taking the injured to the Sicilian island.

Coast guard spokesman Marco Di Milla says "a good number" of the estimated 200 people have been rescued.

He says the coast guard received a satellite phone call from the boat and was able to locate it based on the satellite coordinates.

A Maltese armed forces statement says that since the boat was in Maltese search and rescue waters, a Maltese aircraft was sent up and reported that the boat had capsized and that "numerous" people were in the water. The aircraft dropped a life raft and a patrol boat soon arrived at the scene.

Egypt's state news agency says the coast guard received a call for help Friday from a boat carrying the migrants and naval forces went out to the rescue. It said the survivors were 72 Palestinians, 40 Syrians, and four Egyptians. The nationalities of those who drowned were not immediately available. Officials said rescue efforts continued.

At least 70,000 Syrians are registered in Egypt as refugees. Many non-registered, including thousands of Palestinians who also fled the war in Syria, use the country as a stop before making the perilous sea trip to Europe. Thousands of Egyptians also make the sea journey to flee poverty and high unemployment.

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